Furniture



Feb. 9, 1937. ERNEST ET A 2,070,160

FURNITURE Filed March 20, 1936 475M02 ZZ/a Zdmm; @y' Wm! (M, I

Patented Feb. 9, 1937 were 6 Claims.

This invention relates to furniture, chairs and the like, and more particularly to the type commonly known as easy chairs which are generally provided with upholsmring over the supporting surfaces. It is an object of this invention to provide a chair having a full floating seat portion with resilient support not only for vertical displacement but also for horizontal displacement.

It is a further object to provide a chair having a resilient support for the legs of a person, which is generally known in the trade as a spring edge.

An additional object is to provide a chair wherein the resilient seat portion may be added or removed as a unit therefrom, facilitating repair and replacement. Further objects are to provide an easy chair of the sanitary type having a removable seat cushion and wherein ready access to the resilient seat assembly is possible. An additional object is to provide a comfortable easy chair, of simple and cheap mechanical construction providing a full floating seat from which anyone may rise without the usual difficulty.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, economy and ease of assembly, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying single sheet of drawings, and While there is shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the same is capable of modification and change and com prehencls other details and constructions without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chair embodying this invention with upholstery removed.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view in perspective of the chair of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan View in perspective of a chair with upholstery applied but without the removable seat cushion.

The chair comprises four bottom rail members ll inclusive forming a rectangular frame supported at the corners by four logs of which 5, 6 and 8 only are visible. Front legs 5 and 8 extend upwardly above the frame to form posts 9 and it! upon which arm rests l I and 12 are supported. Rear leg ii extends upwardly to form a frame member it while a similar member it extends from the fourth leg. Arm rests H and B2 are suitably fastened at their ends to members if and it. The top free ends of members I5 and it are joined by a top member i8 of any suitable design. An inner frame for the back cushion is formed by vertical members l9 and 20 joined at the top to member l8 and at the bottom to a cross member 2! rigidly positioned between back frame members 15 and it.

It is understood of course that the various members are suitably shaped and finished to make a comfortable easy chair frame, with the back frame bending away.

A side member or middle rail 26 extends from cross member H to post I0 while a similarly positioned member or middle rail 2'! extends from member 2! to post 9. These members, 26 and 2?, are at seat level and function as top stopsfor a resiliently mounted seat assembly.

The seat assembly consists of a heavy wire frame 28, preferably steel wire, shaped to form a rectangular seat with four sides 29-32 inclusive. Transverse sides 29 and 3! preferably extend beyond stop members 26 and 21 and are bent upwardly to form eyes 33-36 inclusive. From each eye helical tension springs 3'! extend upwardly to engage the lower part of arm rests H and I2 at the front and rear respectively. From rear side 3! of the seat frame, coil springs 38 extend to metal anchors 39 on rear bottom frame member 3 adjacent the ends thereof. It will be noted that springs 38 extend downwardly and rearwardly providing both vertical and horizontal components of resiliency. It is to be stated that the same effect, resiliency and stability, can be obtained by eliminating the helical tension springs 38 and using instead two rearward helical tension springs 3'8 on each side, not one to a side as shown. When two springs 31 are used on each side, both are hooked to the eyes 34 and 35 and extend upwardly at an angle of approximately 35 apart. All of the helical tension springs on a side whether two or more are used are substantially in the same plane.

At the front of the seat frame and on each side thereof, a pair of coil springs 48 and M are provided. The inside ends of these springs engage the seat frame at eyes 33 and 36 respectively. The free end of each spring All! engages an anchor plate t2 rigidly attached to the middle rail members 26 and 2'5 at intermediate points thereof. The free end of springs 4| engage front posts 9 and iii respectively.

To resiliently support the legs of the user, a tiltable frame is provided on side 29 of the seat frame. This tiltable frame, also of heavy wire, comprises horizontal pieces 35 and d6 joined by horizontal sides 41 and 4B looped around wire 29 and extending downwardly at 49 and 5H. Coil springs 5| and 52 suitably anchored by fingers 53 to bottom rail l and extend to lower horizontal piece 46 tending to pull it forwardly and supply the resiliency. This construction provides the spring edge of my invention which can act independently of the seat portion proper.

A heavy cloth seat 56 of canvas or jute webbing isresiliently supported by helical tension springs 60 from sides 39, 3! and 32 of the seat frame and extends over cross piece :35 of the tiltable frame to bottom rail l where it is anchored in suitable fashion.

Suitable upholstery 6! may be provided over the sides and back of the chair. A flap 62 of heavy or quilted fabric carried at the front of the chair by upholstery may be provided for covering the entire seat assembly and supporting springs. Thereafter a seat cushion, not shown, may be disposed over flap 62.

It has been found that a spring suspension as described permits the seat to yield in all directions, both horizontal and vertical. With the tilting frame at the front, there is a tendency for the entire spring suspension system to help a person get up out of the chair. When the weight of a user is shifted forward preparatory to rising, the rearward supporting springs having been relieved from the weight, pull the seat upwardly. Also when the person rises so does the resilient seat, and so a person is truly assisted in getting out of this chair. This feature is not found in any kind of deep seated chair or furniture. While sitting, a person may shift his weight and position against a resilient support in all directions.

Having described the invention, we claim:

1. A piece of furniture comprising four corner posts, horizontal frame members joining adjacent posts near the bottom thereof, a back rest extending across the rear posts, arm rests extending between front and rear posts, a seat as sembly comprising a horizontal frame, coil springs extending from said arm rests to spaced points on said seat frame, a second frame extending forwardly from the front edge of said seat frame and movable up and down around said front edge as a pivot, means for resiliently urging said second mentioned frame upwardly, and a flexible seat resiliently mounted on the rear and sides of the seat frame and extending over said second mentioned frame to the front horizontal frame member for limiting the upward movement of said second mentioned frame.

2. The piece of furniture of claim 1 wherein a fixed stop member is provided under each arm rest and above the seat frame for limiting the upward movement of the seat assembly.

3. A chair comprising four corner posts, horizontal frame members joining adjacent posts near the bottom thereof, a back rest extending across the rear posts, arm rests extending between front and rear posts, a seat assembly comprising a rectangular frame having sides below said arm rests, coil springs extending from said arm rests adjacent the ends thereof down to said seat frame sides, coil springs extending from spaced points of the rear side of said seat frame to the adjacent horizontal frame member, a second frame extending forwardly from the front edge of said rectangular frame and hinged thereto, means for resiliently urging said hinged frame upwardly, a flexible seat resiliently mounted on the rear and sides of said seat frame and extending over said hinged frame to the front horizontal frame member, and stop members carried by said chair frame below said arm rests and above the seat frame sides for limiting the upward motion of said seat assembly.

4. The chair of claim 3 wherein said seat frame is of heavy wire and wherein the hinged frame is of heavy wire bent into two rectangular planes with one extending forwardly of the seat and the other downwardly from the front edge of the seat frame with springs between the lower frame edge and front horizontal frame member forming the resilient urging means.

5. A chair comprising four spaced vertical posts formed as legs at the bottom, horizontal frame members joining adjacent posts near the bottom thereof, a back rest extending across the rear posts, arm rests extending between front and rear posts, a metal seat assembly comprising a rectangulalr horizontal wire frame, coil springs extending from spaced points on each arm rest for supporting opposite frame sides, additional coil springs extending from the rear frame side to the rear horizontal frame member, coil springs extending from the front posts to the front frame corners, a wire looked around the ends of the front of the wire frame and having one portion extending forwardly thereof and another portion extending downwardly thereof, coil springs extending between the front horizontal frame member and the downwardly extending portion of the looped wire and tending to raise the forwardly extending portion, a seat portion of fabric and springs for supporting said fabric at the rear and sides of the horizontal frame, said fabric extending over said forwardly extending wire portion and being fastened to the front horizontal frame member.

6. The chair of claim 5 wherein a stop member is rigidly supported by said chair frame below each arm rest and above the wire frame side.

ALBERT ERNEST. ISADOR WALDMAN. 

